Dance Breaks: A Dance for Each Stage of Finals Week

And here we are. Where tears are frequent, coffee levels are higher than water levels in the human body, and notecards should really be discounted; it's finals week. Finals week at any university is filled with tons of free time, normally used for crying and studying. Classes are usually not in session, which is normally used for crying and studying. Oh, and did I mention I was crying and studying during any free moment? Because I was. However, because these intense few days bring on emotions that I cannot even begin to describe, here are the stages of finals week broken down into dance patterns.

The Beginning of finals week:

The Beyoncé. You know that feeling. You start off the week thinking about all the flashcards you’re going to make, coffee you’re going to buy and the number of hours that will be spent looking at a computer screen, notebook, and your messy notes. Finals are not a joke. With that being said, you walk into the beginning of this week as if you are the Queen Bee herself and letting everyone know that you are in formation, you have been upgraded, and you slay. All day.

Mid Finals Week:

The Carlton Banks. You have two finals down and three to go. You’re reminding yourself that your coffee is indeed a sprint and not a marathon because you can taste the Christmas break freedom, Netflix binges, and realization that classes are over with for a month. In this stage of finals, you find yourself doing the Carlton. You haven’t completely broken down yet, but the week is definitely taking its toll.

The Final Stage:

Complete and utter ignorance: The Annie. You’re walking into your last final. The bags under your eyes are so far from designer (Ha. See what I did there?), and your hands are shaking from lack of sleep and the amount of coffee that is, well, an absurd amount. We all know the feeling of walking into your last final. Maybe it’s for your hardest class. You have studied for days, and you are probably offering to pay your library’s rent because you’ve been living there for the past week. How do you walk into this final? As if Santa himself is waiting outside to pick you up from your exam.

Although finals week is filled with meltdowns, emails to professors about what exactly will be on the final because you are so exhausted you probably don’t recognize anything you’ve been doing for the past sixteen weeks, and above all, you feel your character being tested. The best part about all of these stressful events of just one, horrific week is the mutual understanding between you and all of those that are close to you. Think about it, your friend’s texts probably start off with “I know you’re studying for finals but…” and your mom probably texts you or leaves voicemails as not to disturb your studying. Not only that, as much as we students like to think that professors have no idea what we’re dealing with, there is a mutual understanding when you send them an email at 3 am or ask the same question more than once during class. Whether you find yourself doing the Beyoncé, the Carlton, or the Annie, remember that you are not defined by a number and that dance breaks at any time are the perfect study tool. Happy studying, fabulous pupils!